28 March 2020 Engage Victoria Via website https://engage.vic.gov.au/help-us-shape-final-10-yearstrategic-plan-yarra-river Re: Draft Yarra Strategic Plan (March 2020). Please find on the following pages the submission of the Town and Country Planning Association Inc. to Draft Yarra Strategic Plan (March 2020). Yours sincerely Peter Hill Honorary Secretary Town and Country Planning Association Ph: 0402 132 633 Email: [email protected] Town and Country Planning Association Incorporated Submission to the Draft Yarra Strategic Plan (March 2020) 28 March 2020 Submission to the Draft Yarra Strategic Plan (March 2020) About the TCPA The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA, at web address https://tcpa.org.au ) advocates integrated planning of land use and transport for ecological sustainability and a healthy living environment. The TCPA is a registered non-profit public organisation, established in Victoria in 1914, and is independent of any party political organisation. Overview: The Draft Yarra Strategic Plan (YSP) is an impressive document. It sets out four objectives that are clear, well-articulated and balanced. A healthy river and lands Not surprisingly, the first relates to a healthy river and surrounding lands that are essential to improving water quality. Preserving the natural vegetation, billabongs and habitats is critical. The problems caused by rapid stormwater run-off in urban areas where hard surfaces cover much of the area will require increasing attention (as discussed later in this document). A culturally diverse river corridor The second objective is concerned with the heritage of the Yarra river, the Birrarung, and this is where the YSP sets a remarkable precedent: it recognises the role played by the traditional custodians of the lands surrounding the waterway over many thousands of years, and the significance of the river in their culture. It would be a mistake to think that the discovery of a quality water supply by early European settlers was simply a fortuitous historical accident. Continuing engagement of the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung people is a very positive direction. Quality parklands for a growing population The third objective recognises the great value of the river’s parklands in supporting the wellbeing of a large population, through recreational and community activities. It is important that parklands along the river are accessible to all, and that pathways are interlinked with one another and with other parklands to provide a continuous network. Protecting the natural beauty of the Yarra River corridor The fourth objective is concerned with protecting and celebrating the natural beauty and landscapes along the river. To these ends, the document presents a detailed land use framework for every reach of the river (upper rural / lower rural / suburban / inner city) from the Upper Yarra Reservoir to Westgate Bridge. It also includes photographs and maps that bring the waterway to life, and is written in a way that invites the readers’ attention and ongoing interest. The Yarra Strategic Plan should serve not just as an important reference, but as an inspiration to local governments, community groups, water authorities, planning agencies and others involved in its implementation, as well as to anyone interested in the planning, management and use of Melbourne’s waterways and parklands. Recommended improvements to the Draft Strategic Plan Geographic extent of strategy, land use and transport within the valley The TCPA proposes that the geographical scope of the Yarra Strategic Plan be expanded to include the tributary creeks and rivers that contribute to pollution of the Yarra. The Strategic Plan needs to identify and then resolve potential conflicts between various recreational activities such as walking, cycling, sport, etc., and between human activities and wildlife and vegetation. 28 March 2020 Page 1 Submission to the Draft Yarra Strategic Plan (March 2020) The nature and quality of the Main Yarra Trail changes with distance from central Melbourne, from a bicycle commuter highway to a recreational trail, the upper reaches of the trail being less suited to commuter use because of the hilly terrain and the use of gravel surfaces. It is recommended that bicycle trails intended primarily for commuter use be separated from recreational trails that are shared with walkers. Measuring achievement of strategy The 10-year performance objectives are purely descriptive, with no numerical targets. Words such as “improving” are open to interpretation. Without using measurable attributes, such as the number of species, terms such as “greater biodiversity” are difficult if not impossible to substantiate. Land Use Framework The Land Use Framework covers many elements of the Draft YSP areas of interest. However, there are some significant gaps that need to be addressed before the strategic plan is finalised. The Land Use Framework relies on the current state land use analysis undertaken for the Yarra Strategic Plan Map Book 20181. However, the TCPA has identified a number of inconsistencies between the Strategic Plan Map Book and the Draft YSP. Most creeks are not labelled on the maps for each reach. Some are only considered in terms of the Draft YSP areas of interest (i.e. 500 metres and 1 km on either side of the Yarra River). However, several have attributes valued by the community in their own corridors which enhance links to and from the Yarra River. “Catchment links” appear in some maps, but there is no discussion of the attributes of these links and the mapping is not consistently applied across all reaches. Indeed, there is no real discussion of these in terms of wider catchment opportunities/threats to or by the Yarra River strategy plan area. It is recommended that the Yarra Strategic Plan Map Book 2018 be reviewed and revised in light of the matters in this and following sections before the Yarra Strategic Plan is finalised. Upper Rural Reach Coranderrk Creek is an example where the Draft YSP only considers issues within the strategy plan area, but not in terms of its own corridor’s attributes that are enhanced by its links to the Yarra River. Lower Rural Reach Watsons Creek is shown as an area for protection and apparently part of the strategy plan area, with statements of significance and opportunities for its roles in the Draft YSP areas of interest. The TCPA acknowledges that Watsons Creek is significant in the Yarra River catchment. However, statements of significance and opportunities should be adopted for all tributaries: • Brushy Creek confluence is recognised for its sites of particular ecological and cultural significance to the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung people within the strategy plan area. However, there is no mention of Brushy Creek corridor beyond the Draft YSP areas of interest. • Steels Creek, Stringybark Creek and Watts River area mapped, but with no accompanying text or the significance of each as catchment links. Suburban Reach The main tributaries include Diamond Creek, Plenty River, Darebin Creek and Merri Creek, all of which have recreational trails connecting to the Yarra River. The tributaries provide vital biodiversity links into the catchment. 1Melbourne Water, Yarra Strategic Plan Map Book: Current state land use for the Yarra Strategic Plan (September 2018). Accessed via https://imaginetheyarra.com.au/document-library 28 March 2020 Page 2 Submission to the Draft Yarra Strategic Plan (March 2020) However, the Draft YSP needs to recognise other attractors along those tributaries which make their links to the Yarra River important. • Mullum Mullum Creek is mapped, but there is no text or reference to it being a catchment link • Other (5) “catchment links” are mapped, but not labelled on maps nor discussed in the text. Existing projects, including the North East Link and Fitzsimons Lane projects, are mentioned and mapped. However, while the Suburban Rail Loop is mapped, there is no reference to it being a significant project. Inner City Reach Gardiners Creek Confluence: the statement of significance and opportunities again is an example of the approach that needs to be adopted for all tributaries of the Yarra River. However, there is no reference to Gardiners Creek being a “catchment link” despite its own catchment covering a significant area of the inner eastern metropolitan Melbourne. The “former Williams Creek in central Melbourne” is given scant regard on the basis that “it is now the Elizabeth Street drain”. Nevertheless, the creek drainage line still exists, and it still re-emerges in Elizabeth Street from time to time after periods of heavy volumes of rain. The impacts of these flooding events affect the Draft YSP’s areas of interest. Lessons learned from these events need to be addressed in provisions of the Draft YSP. The Yarra Strategic Plan Map Book 2018 did not consider the reaches of the Yarra River downstream of the Charles Grimes Bridge. The land use framework for the area between the Charles Grimes Bridge and West Gate Bridge is given only the barest superficial analysis. This is a significant problem. The Moonee Ponds Creek environs were not considered. Moonee Ponds Creek is mapped, but is incorrectly described as being “outside the study area”. In fact, the creek is the boundary of the study area and the Port of Melbourne. The TCPA considers that an assessment should be included of its significance and opportunities on its eastern side. There appears to be no analysis of issues of significance to the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung. While the area has been significantly modified over the last 150 years, it would be surprising if there were no historical elements for the traditional owners that could and should be acknowledged. Existing urban development and key transport projects in this reach need further assessment. • Proposed Fishermans Bend tram routes are mapped, but their opportunities are not analysed • Reinstatement of Webb Dock Rail Link, a Port of Melbourne project, and the Metro Tunnel 2 projects will both impact on the Westgate Park, but it is surprising that these are not analysed or mapped.